One-piece aerosol dispensing cap



Feb. 22, 1966 R. L. GLAZIER ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 INVENTOR 05658)" 1 BY nWP-mdo-ah.

ATTORN EY Feb. 22, 1966 R. L. GLAZIER 3,236,421

ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP Filed Aug. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/9 INVENTOR 08527 l GZAZ Q B 41m I? m ATTORNEY United States Patent M3,236,421 ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP Robert L. Glazier,Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., assignor to Richardson-Merrell Inc., New York,N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,399 6Claims. (Cl. 222-182) This invention relates to actuator covers foraerosol devices of the type employing pressurized containers and adaptedto be held in the hand. More particularly, this invention relates to acap structure for such aerosol devices which can be molded of aresilient plastic in one piece and which can act as both a protector andactuator for the valve assembly of the aerosol container.

Aerosol devices contemplated for use with the actuator covers of thisinvention, generally comprise a pressurized container in the form of abottle, jar, or can having mounted in its neck or top portion a manuallyoperable, springcharged valve including a depress or lever-button typeactuator having a side nozzle or orifice from which the containercontents are discharged when the button is moved. Various types ofactuator covers are used with such aerosol devices.

It is an object of this invention to provide an aerosol protective andactuating cap which can be easily molded from resilient plastic materialand which is inexpensive, reliable, and attractive.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a homogeneouslyintegral aerosol cap which can be safely used to protect the aerosolvalve during transit and which is easily assembled for use.

Other objects, advantages, and results of the invention will hereinafterbecome apparent in the following description and drawings.

Referring now to the drawings wherein identical numerals refer toidentical parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cap of this invention with a flapoutwardly of the cap skirt;

FIGURE 2 shows the cap of FIGURE 1 secured over the top of an aerosolcontainer with the fiap snapped within the cap skirt;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section of the cap in FIGURE 2 viewed inthe plane of the line 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section of the flap and a lower portion ofthe cap skirt viewed in the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross section of the flap and a lower portion ofthe cap skirt viewed in the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section of the cap assemblage as in FIGURE 3 exceptthat the flap is sufficiently depressed to contact and actuate the valveassemblage of the aerosol container;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the cap;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross section of the cap assemblage taken in theplane of line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical cross section of a cap assemblage taken in theplane of line 9-9 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 10 is a top view of a nozzle fitment which is secured over thetop of the aerosol container valve stem.

There is shown for the purpose of illustration in FIG- URES 3 and 6 apressurized aerosol container which is indicated generally by thenumeral 10, said container having substantially cylindrical side walls12, a domeshaped upper wall 14 constituting a neck portion, a circu3,236,421 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 lar shoulder 16 disposed at thejuncture of the neck portion 14 and the side walls 12, and an outwardcircular flange 24 at the top of the neck.

Secured to the neck portion 14 is a manually operable valve assemblage18 including a valve stem 20 and a fitment 19 receiving and cooperatingwith the valve stem. As more particularly shown in FIGURE 10, fitment 19has a nozzle 21 and opposed ears 22. The valve stem 20 has an openingtherein, not shown, which communicates with the nozzle 21.

The cap is generally illustrated by the numeral 26 (FIGURE 1 and FIGURE2). Cap 26 is molded of a resilient thermoplastic material such aspolypropylene and comprises a top 28, including a raised annularperiphery 30 and a slightly flared depending skirt 32. The cap has innerwalls 34, as particularly shown in FIGURES 7-9, depending from the top28 which are substantially concentric with skirt 32.. Walls 34 haveinwardly disposed beads 36 at their bottom end which help to hold thecap on the can as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. The cap skirt 32 has anopening 38, as particularly shown in FIGURE 9, to permit dischargetherethrough of the material 37 in the aerosol container 16 and a secondgenerally paddle-shaped opening 39 as particularly shown in FIGURE 1. Anactuator flap assemblage 41 is hingedly secured to a bottom edge ofopening 39. When molded at the time of manufacture, flap assemblage 41is molded outwardly of opening 39 as shown in FIGURE 1 and in use it ispivoted about the hinge 43 and manually swung inwardly of opening 39 asshown in FIGURE 2. The free end of the ilap is snapped through and pastthe downwardly disposed ledge 45 (FIGURE 3) at the top of opening 39.Ledge 45 permits the flap to be snapped through the opening because ofthe resilient nature of the plastic material of which the cap is made.Lodge 45 prevents the flap from resuming its original outward position.The fiap assemblage 41 comprises a flap 42 hinged at its lower end 48 toan edge of the cap skirt 32 about opening 39. Opening 39 may havereinforcing ribs 40 (FIGURES 6 and 7) adjacent to its side edges. An armor fin 44 is mounted on the inner side of flap 42. Except for the hingearea 48, the flap is relatively still. The stiffness of flap 42 isincreased by the fin 44 which acts as a reinforcing rib for the flap.Preferably, hinge area 48 or simple hinge 48 has a substantiallytransverse notch 43, as particularly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, on itsinner side. This notch provides a weakened area which acts as a hinge.In addition to providing a weakened area for the hinge, the upper andlower parts of the notch also provide opposed abutting shoulders whichare resiliently deformed when the fin 44 is pushed against or adjacentfitment 19 within the groove of opposed ears 22.

The operation of applicants actuator and protective cap is evident fromthe above description; however, it can be seen that the cap 26 is fittedover the neck 14 with the inwardly beaded ends 36 of arcuate walls 34snapped with in the circular groove between the neck flange 24 and neck14. The bottom of skirt 32 rests on container flange 16. The cap is nowfirmly but detachably secured to the aerosol container. In fitting thecap in place, nozzle 21 is aligned in the narrow slot between arcuatewalls 34 opposite cap discharge opening 38. The cap is molded with flapassemblage 41 outwardly of the cap as shown in FIG- URE 1. The flap canremain outwardly of the skirt during storage or shipment of theassembled cap and container. When it is desired to use the aerosolcontainer,

flap assemblage 41 is manually swung upwardly and inwardly of opening 39and is snapped past flange 45. The opening 39 admitting the flap is ofsuch dimension so as to permit the tip or flat portion of the thumb tobe partly inserted therethrough so as to push the flap inwardly. Theinward movement of the flap causes arm 44 to contact the fitment withinthe groove between ears 22. This causes the valve assemblage to betilted which actuates the valve as shown in FIGURE 6 to dischargecontents from the container as long as the flap arm is pressed againstthe valve assemblage. When the thumb is lifted away from the opening andflap, the spring loaded valve assemblage returns to its off position.Also, the resiliency of the flap hinge causes the flap to move away fromthe valve assemblage.

In molding the one-piece, unitary hollow cap of this invention, the flapis molded outwardly of the cap skirt and when it is desired to fullyassemble the cap, it is pivoted about the hinge through the openingwhere it is restrained against outward movement. Since the flap ismolded outwardly of the skirt, the resiliently deformable nature of thehinge area has the tendency of swinging the flap away from the valveactuator assembly after thumb pressure is released from the flap. Sincethe flap is molded outwardly of the skirt, this permits the molding ofthe cap by the use of a simple male-female mold since there are no majoroverlapping parts to the cap. Also, since the circumference of the captop is less than that of the bottom of the skirt, it is relatively easyto eject the cap from a mold. The cap is preferably molded of aresilient thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene,and the like.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplifiedthe manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readilyunderstood that any number of variations, applications, modifications,and extensions of the principles involved may be made without departingfrom its spirit and scope.

What I claim is:

1. An aerosol dispensing cap molded of a thermoplastic resilientlydeformable material, said cap having a top, a skirt depending from thetop, an opening in said cap for discharging fluids therethrough, saidskirt having an actuating opening, a flap hingedly attached at an edgeof said actuating opening, the free end of said flap being manuallyswingable forwardly about the flap hinged end toward said actuatingopening, the free end of said flap extending beyond the actuatingopening edges and overlapping therewith, and said flap being resilientlysnappable past said overlap and through said actuating opening, saidflap molded outwardly of said actuating opening, said hinged end beingbiased on contacting the overlapping portion of the actuating opening.

2. A one-piece, unitary aerosol dispensing cap, said cap molded from athermoplastic resiliently deformable materialand having a top and askirt depending from the top, said skirt having a first opening fordischarging fluids therethrough, said skirt having a second opening forreceiving the tip of a thumb, a flap hingedly attached at its bottom endto a bottom edge of said skirt thumb opening, said flap in an unbiasedcondition being outwardly of said skirt, said flap being manuallypivotable about its bottom hinged end forwardly through said thumbopening and wherein the upper edges of said flap and thumb openingoverlap wherein an upper flap edge extends beyond an upper edge of saidthumb opening, the overlapping edges being resiliently deformable onpressing the flap through the thumb opening but retaining the flapagainst free inward and outward movement through the thumb opening.

3. A cap of claim 2 wherein said flap has a reinforcing finsubstantially normal to the plane of the flap rising from the forwardside thereof, said fin passing through the thumb opening on the forwardpivoting of said flap, said fin adapted to actuate an aerosol dispensingvalve.

4. A unitary, one-piece aerosol dispensing cap molded of a resilientlydeformable thermoplastic, said cap comprising:

(a) a top and a flared skirt depending from the top;

(b) said cap skirt having a first opening therein for discharge of fluidtherethrough;

(c) said cap skirt having a vertically elongated opening of a sizesuflicient to receive the tip of a thumb therethrough;

(d) a relatively stiff elongated flap hinged to a bottom edge of saidthumb opening;

(c) said flap having an upper edge extending beyond an upper edge of thethumb opening and normally preventing the flap from passing therethroughin its arcuate movement about the hinge, the free end of said flap beingresiliently snappable forwardly into said opening in the arcuatemovement of said flap about its hinge by cooperation of the flap edgesand thumb opening edges;

(f) the resiliency of said flap hinge supporting said flap inan upwardposition substantially parallel to said skirt upon being snapped throughsaid thumb openmg.

5. A homogeneously integral aerosol dispensing cover comprising a capmolded of resiliently deformable thermoplastic material and having a topand a skirt depending from the top, an annular opening in the side ofthe skirt for the passage therethrough of fluids from an aerosol nozzle,an arcuate wall extending downwardly from the container top within theskirt, said wall having a vertical slot open at its bottom end foraligning the cap and its dispensing opening with an aerosol nozzle, saidwall having snapon means adjacent its bottom end for attachment to thetop of an aerosol container, said skirt having a vertical upstandingpaddle-shaped opening opposite the cap dispensing opening, the wide endof said opening being adjacent the cap top, a stiff paddle-shaped flaphaving its handle attached to the bottom edges of said paddle-shapedopening, a transverse notch on the inner bottom portion of said paddlehandle providing a resiliently flexible hinge for the arc-wise movementof the body of the flap paddle inwardly and downwardly within the capthrough said paddle-shaped opening, a ledge at the top edges of thepaddle-shaped opening obstructing the flap from inward and outward freemovement through the paddle-shaped opening, and a radially extendingbeak on the inner side of the paddle for actuating an aerosol valveassemblage, the area about said hinge being resiliently deformed onmovement of the flap inwardly of the paddle-shaped opening.

6. An aerosol device comprising, in combination, an aerosol containerhaving a manually operable valve assembly and a nozzle at its top end, aunitary, one-piece cap mounted over the top end of said container, saidcap molded of a thermoplastic resiliently deformable material and havinga top and a flared skirt depending from the top, said skirt having afirst opening on one side thereof operatively aligned with said nozzlefor the discharge of fluids therethrough, said skirt having a secondvertically elongated opening on the opposite side thereof for receivingthe tip of a thumb, a vertically elongated flap attached at its bottomend to a bottom edge of said thumb opening, a transverse notch on theinner side of the flap adjacent its bottom end providing a hinge, areinforcing and actuating member rising from the inner side of said flapabove the notch, said member reinforcing the flap and providing rigiditythereto, the free end of said flap being manually pivotable about itshinge through the top of the thumb opening, the upper edges of said flapand thumb opening overlapping in the manually pivotal movement of theflap through the thumb opening, the area of overlap being resilientlydeformable on pressing the free end of the flap through the thumbopening but retaining the flap against free inward and outward movementtherethrough, said flap raised member carried within the thumb opening 56 on pressing the free end of the flap inwardly of the thumb ReferencesCited by the Examiner opening, said raised member operatively alignedwith the UNITED STATES PATENTS K535035521??? sifii ciiiiifi i oi iifi'ESZZZJZ 3113123 31109565 11/1963 Kutik 239-579 X g P g 3,140,014 7/1964Lerner 222-482 assembly, said flap hinge being resiliently deformed and5 urging the raised member away from the valve assembly LOUIS J. DEMBO,Primary Examiner. on pressing said member against the valve assembly.CHARLES CARTER,

1. AN AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP MOLDED OF A THERMOPLASTIC RESILIENTLYDEFORMABLE MATERIAL, SAID CAP HAVING A TOP, A SKIRT DEPENDING FROM THETOP, AND OPENING IN SAID CAP FOR DISCHARGING FLUIDS THERETHROUGH, SAIDSKIRT HAVING AN ACTUATING OPENING, A FLAP HINGEDLY ATTACHED AT AN EDGEOF SAID ACTUATING OPENING, THE FREE END OF SAID FLAP BEING MANUALLYSWINGABLE FORWARDLY ABOUT THE FLAP HINGED END TOWARD SAID ACTUATINGOPENING, THE FREE END OF SAID FLAP EXTENDING BEYOND THE ACTUATINGOPENINGS EDGES AND OVERLAPPING THEREWITH, AND SAID FLAP BEINGRESILIENTLY SNAPPABLE PAST SAID OVERLAP AND THROUGH SAID ACTUATINGOPENING, SAID FLAP MOLDED OUTWARDLY OF SAID ACTUATING OPENING, SAIDHINGED END BEING BIASED ON CONTACTING THE OVERLAPPING PORTION OF THEACTUATING OPENING.